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History

An organisation which brought light into the life of thousands of Bank employees ‘AllIndia Bank Employees Association’ came into existence on 20th April 1946 at Kolkata. After the formation of All India Bank Employees Association, bank employees all over the country started forming trade unions. Subsequently, Tamilnadu Bank Employees’ Federation was formed in Chennai on 9th June 1953.

In this background, employees in Union Bank of India working in the State of Tamilnadu took the efforts to form trade unions. First a Union with headquarters at Chennai was formed. Later another two Unions with Madurai and Coimbatore as headquarters were formed. These unions were all cadre unions and served the employees/officers working in those areas. 

Understanding the strength of Unity, our forefathers took tireless efforts to consolidate the three Union into a single entity and with the able guidance of Com.K.J.Jospeh, one of the tallest leaders of All India Bank Employees Association, consolidation was possible. The consolidated organisation held its inaugural conference at “Ayyanna Gowder Kalyana Mandapam”, Coimbatore on 22nd April 1973. Thus, Union Bank Employees' Union – Tamilnaducame into existence.

From its inception, Union Bank Employees' Union - Tamilnadu is functioning under the mighty banner of AIBEA, as an affiliate of Tamilnadu Bank Employees’ Federation and All India Bank Employees Association. Initially, Union Bank Employees' Union - Tamilnadu was functioning as an affiliate to All India Union Bank Employees Federation – the only federation existed at that point of time. After the formation of All India Union Bank Employees Association on 22nd June 1979, our organisation is functioning as the torchbearer of All India Union Bank Employees Association.

From the date of consolidation, Union Bank Employees' Union - Tamilnadu started working for the welfare of its members and for improving their standard of living. During the year 1979-80, there was a trend to form some organisations against AIBEA, in various bank-wise organisations. Our Union was also a victim of such divisive forces. All India Union Bank Employees Federation was a mixture of unions affiliated to various Industry Level Unions in Union Bank of India. Unions affiliated to AIBEA, NCBE, INTUC were part of the Federation. Due to the disruptive activities of the anti-AIBEA elements, AIBEA was forced to direct the Units of the Federation to clarify their positions. The position was such that either we can be an affiliate of AIBEA or AIUBEF and not both.

During this period, in the year 1980, in the Tamilnadu Bank Employees Federation conference held at Salem out comrades could not attend the conference at Delegates. The affiliation was temporarily suspended and we were asked to decide the about our affiliation. In order to decide our affiliation, an Extraordinary General Body Meeting was held at Chennai on 16.03.1980. In this historic conference, despite the propaganda made by the disruptive forces, majority of the comrades expressed their faith and confidence in AIBEA. Accordingly, it was decided to continue our affiliation with AIBEA/TNBEF and to affiliate with AIUBEA.

As per the fundamental principles of democracy, the majority decision should be binding on all and the minority should adhere to the majority decision to preserve the Unity. Unfortunately, against all principles of democracy, breaking the unity of Union Bank Employees, a minority section of members left the Extraordinary General Body Meeting and formed a rival union on 17.03.1980.

From 1980, due to the continued efforts of the Union, our membership gradually increased and today more than 90% of the employees are proud members of our Union. Our efforts to bring all the misguided employees to the mainstream of Bank employees’ movement is continuing.

Our comrades are effectively functioning as Office Bearers of AIUBEA, TNBEF and various District Organisations of Tamilnadu Bank Employees Federation and contributing to the cause of the Bank employees. Our comrades have significantly contributed in designing various policies of the Bank like, Transfer Policy, Higher Assignment Policy, Promotion Policy etc.,

Our organisation is an example of democracy and collective functioning.  Our organisation is functioning as a model to the rest of the Unions. Conferences, Executive Committee, Managing Committee meetings are held on regular intervals and the decisions are taken after elaborate discussions taking the views of all the comrades of the forum. Our constitution provides for reservation in the Executive Committee to Women, Subordinate Staff, Mini Deposit Collectors, Jewel Appraisers etc., which enables to hear the voices of all sections of the membership in the forums. We also have a women’s forum to involve them in the Union activities.  Union is conducting various workshops to equip the comrades to sharpen their skills, improve their attitude and to widen their knowledge.

We continue to hold Industrial Relations Meetings with the management in every quarter, in every Region/State and the issues of the employees are collected, discussed and resolved.

Union Bank of India Staff Co-operative Thrift and Credit Society is efficiently managed by our comrades as directors. It is a model society to the rest. It is functioning with lesser spread, lesser profit and helping the comrades to get loans at cheaper rate of interest. Our Society is not only catering to the needs of our comrades, it is also serving the comrades of Karnataka and Kerala.

Our constitution enables us to help the Mini Deposit Collectors, Jewel Appraisers and other category of people utilised by the Bank for its business as members and caters to their needs. Today, we have almost all the Mini Deposit Collectors and Jewel Appraisers as our members. It provides security and dignity to them. Due to the efforts of our organisation, the appraisal fee paid to the Jewel Appraisers was increased from Rs.100/- to Rs.400/-.

Our sister organisation AIBOA has grown to a great extent and in the State it is a force to reckon with. We are holding the conferences as joint conferences with AIBOA. It is helping them to gain confidence to work effectively for the cause of officers. It is a great honour to this organisation that an active comrade of our organisation, Com.D.S.Ganesan is the General Secretary of All India Union Bank Officers Staff Association today.

Own premises for the Union was purchased in the year 2001 at a cost of Rs.14,00,000/- and the present value of the premises is around Rs.50,00,000/-. In order to provide accommodation to the comrades coming to Chennai for various activities, a Guest House was purchased in the year 2015 and the total cost of the project came around Rs.1,00,00,000/-.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright: Union Bank Employees' Union - Tamilnadu